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So, the other day I was drunk and asked if anyone had any John Ruiz fights I could see. Sure, I like to study boxing history, but you don't ask for Ruiz fights if you're sober, right?
Anyway, hardly anyone in the lounge had any (surprise) but I did get Ruiz vs. Ray Anis from back in 1997. At this stage he was 30-3, with a couple of split decisions and the infamous loss to David Tua.
The whole look of John at this stage is completely different. The guy's younger, obviously, but with just a moustache, no greying of the temples and his body cut (though small for a heavy). Not only that, but there's a reasonable menace to the guy. Even Stoney looks sharper and not just belligerent old guy who starts pre- and post-bout fights of his own.
It's amusing hearing the commentators who aren't familiar with Ruiz describing him as "the boxer in the fight" and "like a caged animal" as well as one of boxing's secrets.
If you haven't seen the fight it's like the mirror image of the Tua one. John goes out, all business, and obliterates the opponent before he can land a single shot. He's down within seconds and the bout is called off at 0:20 of the first round - and that includes the count.
Now, Ray Anis was no fierce opponent, and Ruiz didn't exactly look like Tyson, but what happened to make this agressive, determined fighter with moderately above-average skills turn into a shambling older man who constantly grabs and produces crowd death reactions? (That was another thing... the crowd cheering for Ruiz... weird).
Is it just his build, that he's not naturally suited to the upper tier and relies on it, age, what?
Because all I know is, I just watched a John Ruiz fight that didn't put me to sleep, and frankly that's a scary thought.
Anyway, hardly anyone in the lounge had any (surprise) but I did get Ruiz vs. Ray Anis from back in 1997. At this stage he was 30-3, with a couple of split decisions and the infamous loss to David Tua.
The whole look of John at this stage is completely different. The guy's younger, obviously, but with just a moustache, no greying of the temples and his body cut (though small for a heavy). Not only that, but there's a reasonable menace to the guy. Even Stoney looks sharper and not just belligerent old guy who starts pre- and post-bout fights of his own.
It's amusing hearing the commentators who aren't familiar with Ruiz describing him as "the boxer in the fight" and "like a caged animal" as well as one of boxing's secrets.
If you haven't seen the fight it's like the mirror image of the Tua one. John goes out, all business, and obliterates the opponent before he can land a single shot. He's down within seconds and the bout is called off at 0:20 of the first round - and that includes the count.
Now, Ray Anis was no fierce opponent, and Ruiz didn't exactly look like Tyson, but what happened to make this agressive, determined fighter with moderately above-average skills turn into a shambling older man who constantly grabs and produces crowd death reactions? (That was another thing... the crowd cheering for Ruiz... weird).
Is it just his build, that he's not naturally suited to the upper tier and relies on it, age, what?
Because all I know is, I just watched a John Ruiz fight that didn't put me to sleep, and frankly that's a scary thought.
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